Allardyce says fans gave Megson no chance

December 31, 2009




Sam Allardyce has said fan power meant sacked Bolton Wanderers boss Gary Megson had little chance of holding onto his job.

Megson was dismissed after Bolton had squandered a 2-0 lead before drawing 2-2 with Premier League relegation rivals Hull City.

Unusually, Megson proved unpopular with Bolton fans almost from the moment he took over in October 2007.

Nevertheless, Megson did help keep Bolton in the Premier League following the ill-fated six month reign of Sammy Lee, although that wasn’t enough to win over supporters who regularly berated his “negative” tactics.

By contrast Allardyce, now in charge at Bolton’s north-west rivals Blackburn, was a hugely popular boss during his eight years in charge of Wanderers, with his side finishing in the Premier League’s top eight on four straight occasions.

“Unfortunately for Gary, the fans wouldn’t quite take to him – they didn’t quite endear themselves to him and they always felt there was something they disagreed with, no matter what he seemed to do,” Allardyce said.

“I always think that’s a very unfortunate situation because in the end, if your fans decide that they don’t like you then you’ve got very little chance of keeping your job, no matter how good you are.”

Megson, who left Bolton when the club had two games in hand on their drop rivals, spoke Thursday of his “sadness” and “disappointment” at getting the sack from the Lancashire club.

“Naturally I am saddened to receive the news from the club and disappointed not to have been given the opportunity to at least see out my contract with Bolton Wanderers,” Megson said in a statement issued by the League Managers’ Association (LMA).

“It is a great honour to manage at Premier League level and I am also proud to have managed a club with great history and tradition.

“I would to thank the players and all the staff for their efforts during my time in charge and I wish the club every success in the future”

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan added: “Gary is vastly experienced in the game with Bolton being his eighth club and he was becoming an established Premier League manager.

“After taking charge of a side that was at the foot of the Barclays Premier League he certainly achieved success by leading the club to a 13th place finish last season.

“With the club currently on a four game unbeaten run and only five points short of 10th placed Sunderland with two games in hand, there was every opportunity for Bolton to make a sudden surge up the table.”

Blackburn are only three points better off than Bolton and a concerned Allardyce added: “It’s no more worrying (there) than it is for ourselves or anybody else in that bottom 10,” Allardyce said.

“Bolton have two games in hand, so win the two games in hand and they are above us and we are in that predicament.”

Meanwhile Owen Coyle, manager of Premier League Burnley and a former Bolton player, tried to play down speculation suggesting he could replace Megson at the Reebok Stadium.

“It is a fantastic job for someone out there but my focus is on doing the best against MK Dons (in the FA Cup) this weekend,” said Coyle.

“I have had speculation time and time again but, as always, I am concentrating on the job in hand.”

LONDON (AFP)

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